Cold as the North Wind
by Procrastinator1
Summary: Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you could go back to the past and change just one decision? I do. I gave up everything for one person. My friends, my family, my home... and to this day I still don't know if it was worth it. All I know is that because of one decision I have changed. The air I used to breath was sweet and warm. Now it's just bitter and cold.
1. Prologue: What I Used to Be

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender._

_Another Story I found in the land of Forgotten Notebooks. I decided to post it to see what people think, as of right now I am undecided about finishing._

_-Pro1_

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Cold as the North Wind

Prologue:

What I Used to Be

Rai -

I used to be mischievous, and I guess I still am… it's not like I discourage Aang from pranking others. I still laugh at jokes and enjoy shenanigans, I'm just not the one pulling the strings or plotting with the master minds anymore. Instead I'm the caretaker who turns a blind eye and talks my charge out of punishment.

I used to be adventurous, trying new things, investigating the strange and out of place. I am still a curious soul, that hasn't changed but I took one too many risks as a child and unlike some I learned from my mistake. I rarely jump before looking now, instead I question if the risk is worth the reward. However I was not, and still am not perfect. Sometimes I forget my lesson on risk and reward, but who doesn't?

Maybe it was because of my cautious and responsible actions that the four Councils of Elders decided to place me as caretaker of the Avatar. It was the first time in Air Nomad history that a female Airbender lived in the Southern Air Temple. Normally the girls and women living in the Eastern and Western Temples. Yes we mingled with the boys and men but we didn't live or travel together until we came of age.

Monk Gyatso, Avatar Aang's primary caretaker and master always told me that the four Councils thought that maybe I would be able to calm Aang down and prepare him for the future. If that was the case they were wrong. No, if anything I shielded Aang from responsibility, as far as I was concerned Aang needed to have fun.

I was introduced to Aang when I was 13, still a child myself even though it didn't feel like it. Aang was 9, and now at age 12 he hadn't grown up at all. No, he was still the same goofy kid I had first been introduced to 3 years ago. Aang was my little brother, granted neither one of us new if we were blood related, but that was the Nomad's way.

During those 3 years Aang had mastered Airbending and earned his Arrow tattoos, I was on the verge of finishing the final level and ready to receive my own arrows. I would have to but, my loyalty to Aang and anger at the Elders stopped me. The night before my ceremony Aang and I flew away on our sky bison.

I used to think I knew what the cold felt like,

But I was wrong.

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_Tell me what you think! Hope you enjoyed it. :)_

_-Pro1_


	2. Chapter 1: Why an Iceberg

_**Disclaimer**: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender._

_Another Story I found in the land of Forgotten Notebooks. I decided to post it to see what people think, as of right now I am undecided about finishing._

_-Pro1_

* * *

Cold as the North Wind

Chapter 1:

Why an Iceberg?!

Rai

Why was it so cold? My whole body was numb, I was freezing!

I tried to curl my body up tighter to get warmer but instead it felt like a thousand needles were being stabbed into me. I yelped in pain only for my throat to burn, and not a hot burn either I was so cold it felt like my insides were made of ice. It wasn't supposed to be this cold! It was the beginning of Fall for Spirits sake!

Then I heard the voices, I recognized Aang's immediately but not the other two. The voices were accompanied by a deep groan that I assumed was Appa, Aang's Flying Bison. I tried to move again but the needles dug deeper causing a painful whimper to grate through my throat. I tried to open my eyes which hurt enough but the effort was a waste because i closed them quickly, everything was bright and white.

I tried to call out to Aang but my attempts came out as hiss's and whimpers that scratched my throat even more. Eventually the voices faded and fear over road my pain, the fear of being left behind. I tried calling out and my whimpers turned to squeaks… but no one answered.

The cold sunk deeper into my body the needles reached my bones and my senses faded…

~...~...~

Zuko

Snow, ice, and water as far as the eye could see. It was cold, the light breeze was biting and bitter, catching anything in its path in a freezing grip. The only nice in the frozen tundra came from a large metal ship that cut through the ice and sea like a blade through butter. The ship seemed empty at first glance until you looked on the wide deck. Standing at one end was young man, his arms folded behind his straight back, eyes forward and chin held high.

The young man wore burgundy and red armor, as if ready for a skirmish. His head was clean shaven except for a black ponytail tied up in a red ribbon at the back of his head. Looking at the right side of his face he had a regally handsome look, strong jawline, straight nose, average sized ears, and a narrowed eye the color of molten gold. However if continued to the left side of his face you would find a gruesome scar starting between the corner of his eye and the side of his nose, the scar widened and stretched back replacing an eyebrow and taking up the upper half of his cheek. The scar pulled the young man's skin back taunt all the way to a shrivelled ear. The darker coloring of the scar suggested it was a burn mark, but as gruesome as it didn't take away how handsome the young man was, if anything it enhanced it slightly giving him a darker look.

The only thing that seemed to take away from the young man's handsome features was the scowl on his face as he glared at the icy horizon. The young man's remaining eyebrow suddenly twitched at the sound of light clicking sound. Turning to find the source of the noise, only for the young man's already prominent scowl to deepen. Sitting towards the back of the deck near the helmsman's tower was an older man. The older man had grey hair and a concentrated look upon his face, as his kind amber eyes focused on the wood chips on the little table in front of him. The older man had a rather round belly and a broad looking frame. He had a fatherly look to him and wisdom in his aged face.

The young man rolled his eyes at the older before turning around to face the horizon once more, endlessly searching for something. With every click of the older man's wood chips the youngers brow twitched in irritation. After several moments the younger turned and seemed to be ready to snap at the older man, when a loud but distant bloom filled the air followed by a slight ringing. Turning back to the horizon the young man found what appeared to be the source of the noise.

A single column of blueish white light reached up into the clouds. The older man looked up for a moment eyeing the light with a slight frown before going back to his game. The young man however was looking at the light like a starving beast would look at a table full of food.

"Finally.." whispered the young man in relief. "Uncle," he turned to face the older man a determined look on his face his voice a bit desperate, " do you realize what this means?"

The young man's Uncle looked up, before looking back down at his game, his voice bored, "That I won't get to finish my game."

The young man turned ignoring his Uncles tone of voice, and spoke in a final tone. "It means my Search, it's about to come to an end."

With a great sigh Uncle shook his head a tired look on his face, he tiredly placed a few more wood chips on the table to finish up his game.

His nephew turned a determined look in his golden eyes, and explained firmly. "That Light came from an incredibly powerful force." as if to convince himself rather than his Uncle he added, "It has to be Him!"

"Oh, it's just the Celestial Lights" said Uncle giving a sweep of his arm indicating the sky. " We have been down this road before, Prince Zuko." the older man glanced back down at his game, placing another chip in place before continuing, " I don't want you to get to excited over nothing."

The Prince looked back to the horizon, his shoulders tense. Uncle continued unaware of, or not bothered by the Prince's obvious irritation, asking calmly. "Please sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming Jasmine tea?"

"I don't need any calming tea!" snapped the Prince eyes blazing as he glared at his uncle. " I need to capture the Avatar!" Lifting his golden eyes to the tower behind his tired Uncle he ordered. "Helmsman! Head a course for the Light."

-…..-

It was later in the day the sun hanging low in the sky, Prince Zuko stood on a smaller deck that jutted out about halfway up the helmsman's tower. Behind him Zuko's Uncle came from the Prince's chambers. Both were dressed in thinner clothing for relaxing, covered in an outer robe. Stopping at a respectful distance behind his nephew, Uncle frowning said, "I'm going to bed now," letting out an exaggerated yawn he continued. " Yep, a man needs his rest. Prince Zuko, you need some sleep."

Waiting a moment eyeing the Prince, Uncle slumped his shoulders a bit in defeat, giving up on coaxing his nephew to bed. "Even if you are right," began Uncle, " and the Avatar is alive, you won't find Him. Your Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather all tried and failed."

"Because their Honor did not hinge on the Avatar's capture." Zuko glanced back at his Uncle before continuing, " Mine does. This cowards hundred years of hiding are over."

Just then Zuko caught a glimpse of orange and yellow out of the corner of his eye. Striding over to the right side of his balcony he looked for the out of place colors before spotting a human figure clad in orange and yellow ( Air Nomad colors) lying on an iceberg half covered in snow.

The Prince's eyes widened, hope warming in his chest chasing the cold bitterness away he gave a shout, " Helmsman! Drop Anchor!"

Not even bothering to get dressed Zuko bolted to his chambers rushing through the door, along the Hall, and down the stairs to the deck. Waiting for him were six soldiers, who had been on duty to hear the Prince's shout. Uncle huffed and puffed behind his nephew, as he came onto the deck.

"What are you waiting for?! Drop a ladder down!" snapped the Prince. Quickly going to the ship's railing to look for the orange and yellow figure again.

The soldiers quick to follow commands dropped a rope ladder down to the iceberg, the prince jumped in front of them quickly making his way down to the bottom. Jumping from the ladder not waiting for his men, the prince rusher to the snow cover figure. Brushing some of the snow aside the Prince's eyes widened finding a girl around his age maybe younger, lay before him.

She wore an orange one shoulder shirt with a yellow sash around her waist and brown pants and boots that came up to her knee. An orange shawl hung on her hips, leaving her shoulders bare. Long dark colored hair lay flat against her back frozen almost solid. The girl was curled in on herself as if trying to keep warm, clutched in her right hand was a long wooden staff.

Reaching out with his hand Zuko felt for her pulse knowing that someone dressed like her couldn't have survived the cold of the South Pole for long. The Prince was surprised when he found a pulse with his fingers, the pulse was there but very weak and fading. The girl was freezing! Thinking quickly, forgetting the Avatar for a moment, Zuko took off his outer robe wrapping the girl in it and picking her up. The girl's body was stiff from the cold, placing her over his shoulder. Shivering at the sudden drop in temperature, Zuko focused on his inner heat, and being a firebender pushed the heat outward towards the girls stiff frame. The Prince quickly climbed back up the ladder surprised with how light the girl was.

Once Zuko was back on deck, he handed the girl off to a soldier. "Get her to the infirmary and wake the healer! She needs to be warmed up."

Looking over at his Uncle who looked just as surprised as he felt, he asked remembering his mission, " Could She be the Avatar?"

Uncle frowned at the question, before answering. " I do not know Prince Zuko, but if she is not she very well might know where he is."

Zuko looked at the door where the girl had disappeared to and sent a small prayer to the spirits hoping for once that they would listen to him.

'_Please, let her be the Avatar. Let me go Home.'_

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_Let me know what you think! :)_

_-Pro1_


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